Applying for a job in Aquitaine, France

Description:

In France, unless you are applying to a large group or multinational it is rare that you will be asked to fill out a job application form.  It is more usual to send a Curriculum Vitae and a letter of application.

By following some clear steps to applying for a job in Aquitaine your application will stand out and your chances of employment are increased. 

Find out about the job you are searching for

The name of the employer is given in the job offer or you send in a speculative application

Search for information on the employer so that you can adapt your Curriculum Vitae and your letter of application and to prepare for your interview.

• Information to search for: Sector of activity, total staff numbers, turnover, the name of a specific contact, market share, future objectives

• Where can you search for this information? - Use the internet by consulting the employers’ website and by using search engines.  Alternatively, look at the job applications directory on Pages Jaunes or at the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in your home country.

The name of the employer is not given

Draw up your application using the terms used in the job offer adapting your CV and/or your covering letter.

Adapt your Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Your CV should be no more than 2 pages in length and will generally have the following headings;

• Personal details - Surname, first name, address, telephone number (with the international code) and e-mail address. Marital status, age and nationality (if you are a national from the European Economic Area) are optional.

• Job title -  State the job sought possibly including your strong points, for example: “Trilingual Commercial Assistant: French, English, Spanish”.

• Professional experience - Write a paragraph for each job held, giving the dates, the job performed, the name of the company, its type of business and its location, details of your responsibilities, the tasks performed and the results obtained. You can submit a CV in reverse order (giving the last job first), a chronological CV (giving the first to the last job, used less and less), CV by skills (with several jobs) or a mixed CV (giving skills with the names of the companies and the dates).

• Training - Give the dates when you obtained your qualifications as well as the equivalent in the French education system.

• Language and computer skills - For languages provide details as your mother tongue as well as exact details of your level in French for reading, writing and speaking.

• Other/Other interests - Make sure you mention if you have already lived in France.

For more information, go to the Pole Emploi website and more particularly the “Action guides”.  

Letter of Application

The covering letter should be no more than one page in length and is usually typed (applications are more and more frequently sent via e-mail).  Occasionally you will be asked to handwrite a letter ‘manuscrite’ so ensure you read the instructions correctly.  It allows you to show why you are interested in the company.  It must also show how your profile matches the requirements of the job.  A covering letter should follow the following format;

• Top left: your surname, first name, full address and telephone number (with the international code) and e-mail address.

• Top right: the place from and the date on which it is sent.

• A few lines further down: the company’s address and the name of the person to whom the letter being sent.

• The subject of the letter and/or the reference, for example: Re: Salesperson - réf. 867GR5L.

• The body of the letter.

• Bottom right: your signature.

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